Now, It Is Man vs. Machine

As Morgan Stanley Beefs Up Bond Business, Firm Is Bringing in More Computers

By

Aaron Lucchetti And

Brett Philbin

Updated Aug. 9, 2012 3:28 p.m. ET

In a move to repair its flagging bond-trading business, Morgan Stanley is scrambling to replace some of its well-paid bond traders with computers.

The New York company is hiring programmers and technology specialists to help it trade bonds electronically and handle client orders in the hope of exploiting an expected shift in the way bonds and other fixed income products are traded.